Decorating apparatus



Deg. 26, 1944. A. s. JACKSON ET AL DECORATING APPARATUS Filed March 28,1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A- sd aczlion/ 1944- A. s. JACKSON ET AL 2,365,961

DECORATING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i; 20 61 L:Ill.

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1944- A. s. JACKSON ET AL DECORATING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 26, 1944 DECORATING APPARATUS Albert S.Jackson and River, 111., Company,

Clarence A. Heyne, Wood assignors to Owens-Illinois Glass a corporationof Ohio Application March 28, 1942, Serial No. 436,602

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to apparatus for use in applying colordecorations, printing or the like to the surfaces of articles such asround bottles, jars, or other ware having cylindrical surfaces to Whichthe decorations are to be applied. The invention relates particularly tomeans for rotatably adjusting the articles prior to the decoratingoperation. r

In Patent No. 2,231,535 granted in our names February 11, 1941, forDecorating apparatus, there is disclosed an apparatus for decorating thesurfaces of bottles and the like. The bottles are placed in cradles onan endless conveyor driven intermittently to bring the articles insuccession to stations at which they are rotatably adjusted so that thedecorating screen will register with a predetermined surface area to bedecorated. I

The present invention embodies certain improvements on the mechanismdisclosed in said patent for rotatively adjusting the articles to bedecorated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simplified andimproved mechanism for rotatably adjusting the work-pieces preliminaryto the decorating operations.

A feature of the present invention relates to the use of air operatedmotors for controlling the adjusting operations, and an object attainedin the use of such air motors comprises the elimination of electricallycontrolled devices and a material simplification of the construction.

A further object of the invention is to shorten the ,time required foradjustment of the workpieces at the decorating station and therebyeffect a corresponding increase in the output of the decoratingapparatus.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of an apparatus designed for use inpracticing our invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of the ing the stop fingers.

Fig. 3 is a section at the line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the aparms carryiparatus, partsbeing broken away.

Fig. 5 is a part sectional plan view of a carrier and operatingmechanism for a stop finger.

Fig. 6 is a section at the line li'3 on Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section at the line 1-1 on Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional elevation of the apparatus, the sectionbeing taken substantially at the line 8-8 on Fig. l. I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on a comparatively large scale offriction clutch mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary shown in Fig. 9.

view of a friction ring Fig. 11 is a section at the line ||I| on Fig. 4showing a valve and its operating cam.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section at the line |2|2 on Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a cam chart indicating the timin of the chuck rotations.

The apparatus for rotatably adjusting the Work-pieces or articles l5which are to be decorated, herein shown as bottles, is mounted on astationary frame-work including a table 6 or platform. The bottles areplaced on cradles ll (Fig. 8) on an endless chain cradle conveyor orcarrier 8 (Fig. 4) which is driven intermittently step by step to bringthe articles in succession to stations A and B at which they arerotatably adjusted. Reference may be had to the above mentioned PatentNo. 2,231,535 for a full disclosure of the cradle conveyor, its drivingmeans and other parts of -the decorating apparatus which in themselvesare not a part of the present invention.

At each of thestations A and B islocated a chuck for holding thework-pieces, the chuck being carried on a shaft 2| journalled forrotation in a frame 22 mounted on the platform l6. Means for rotatingthe chucks include an endless sprocket chain 23 trained over sprocketgear wheels 24 which the axes of the chuck hafts 2|. The sprocket chainalso passes over an idler wheel 25 and a driving sprocket gear 26, keyedto a drive shaft 21 which is rotated continuously. Each of the chucks 20is periodically connected, thru a friction clutch, for rotation with thecontinuously rotating sprocket wheel 24 which is journalled on the chuckshaft. This clutch includes a clutch disk 28 (Fig. 9) fixed to the chuckshaft 2|. A friction ring 29 is mounted on the gear 24 for rotationtherewith by means of pins 30 fixed to the ring and extending into boxesin said gear. The friction ring has limited movement in a directionlengthwise of the shaft and is frictionally held in contact with thedisk 29 by means of coil springs 3| housed in the gear 24.

At the station B a clutch member 32 in the form of a disk is secured toa gear wheel 33 which is mounted on ball bearings 34 for rotation aboutthe axis of the shaft 2|. The disk 32 carries a friction rin 35 whichbears against the disk 28. The gear 33 is periodically rotated forrotating the work-piece during'the decorating operation, by mechanismsuch as fully disclosed in the above mentioned patent. Such mechanismincludes a bar 36 (Fig. 8) formed with rack teeth for driving the gear33. Means for reciprocating the bar 36 includes a cam driven crank 31attached to the lower end of a vertical rock shaft journalled in theframe and having attached to its upper end a horizontal rock arm 38.The..latter carries a connector block 39 having operative connectionwith the bar 36. The arm 38 is conare mounted for rotation about nectedto reciprocate a slide plate t8 which is connected to and reciprocatesthe screen frame.

The chuck shaft 2| at station B has a limited movement in the directionof its length for shifting the clutch disk 28. The shaft is moved in onedirection by an air operated piston motor 40 including a piston-4|, andin the opposite direction by a compression spring 40. A head 42 on thepiston rod is connected to the chuck shaft 2| for moving the latterendwise, the shaft being journalled for rotation in said head. Air underpressure for operating the motor 4|] is supplied thru a pipe 43 leadingto the motor from a valve 44 (Figs. 4 and 11) under the control of a cam46 on a cam shaft 50. The cam shaft has mounted thereon a series of cams45, 46, 41 and 48. Each of said cams controls a valve 44 (Fig. 11). Thecam operates thru an arm to depress the valve stem 52 and thereby openthe valve. Air under pressure is supplied from a tank 53 havingconnections thru pipes 54 to the valves. Each of the cams 45 to 48 maybe constructed as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 permitting adjustment of thelength and position of the operating section of the cam. Such aconstruction includes annular plates 55 and 56 rotatably mounted on theflanged hub of the cam and secured in adjusted position by a clampingring 51.

The means for rotatably adjusting the workpiece at station A includes anarm 6|] (Figs. 1 to 4) mounted for oscillating movement about the axisof the chuck. at said station. A contact finger 6| is pivotally mountedon a pin 62 (Figs. 2 and 3) on a slide block 63 slidably mounted inguideways 64 formed in a head 65 on the arm 60. The finger 6| is adaptedto bear on the peripheral surface of the bottle l5 and is yieldinglyheld in contact with said surface by a coil tension spring 66. A stoppin 61 attached to the slide block 63 extends into the path of a lug 68on the finger SI for limiting'the movement of said finger. The block 63is adjustable in the guideways 64 by means of an adjusting screw 69threaded thru the slide block and provided with an adjusting knob '10.This permits the finger 6| to be adjusted to articles of differentdiameters.

The friction clutch disk 32 at the station A has a stationary mounting.The chuck shaft 2| at this station is moved longitudinally outward by anair motor 1| (Fig. 4) and is returned by a coil spring 4|] (see Fig. 8).Air for operating the motor H is supplied thru a pipe 12, the air supplybeing under the control of the cam 41.

When air pressure is supplied to the motor "II it" moves the chuck shaft2| lengthwise, and presses the clutch disk 28 against the ring 29 sothat the gear 24 which is rotating continuously, operates to rotate thechuck 20 and the work-piece l5.

Each work-piece or bottle I5 is formed with a lug 13 or other stopsurface which as the bottle is rotated is brought into engagement withthe stop finger 6| thereby stopping the rotation of the bottle. Afterthe bottle has thus been arrested the cam 4! operates to cut off the airpressure supply to the motor ll, permitting the spring 40 to return theshaft and motor piston. This relieves the pressure between the ring 29and disk 28 and at the same time presses the disk against the frictionring 35 which serves as a brake and quickly stops the rotation of thechuck.

After the bottle has been thus rotatably adjusted at station A, theconveyor I8 is advanced one step, thereby bringing the next succeedingbottle to station A and at the same time advancing a preceding bottle tothe decorating station B where it is connected to the chuck for a finalrotative adjustment which is immediately followed by the screendecorating operation while the bottle is still held in the chuck. Suchfinal adjustment may be required because of the tendency of the bottleto be moved slightly out of its initial adjustment before it is grippedby the chuck at station B. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 1 thatthe bottle at station A is rotated by the chain 23 in a clockwisedirection whereas at station B the rotation is in the counter-clockwisedirection. It will be noted also that the contact finger at station Bengages the bottle at a somewhat lower point than at station A. Thisinsures the contact finger being below the stop lug when the bottle isgripped by the chuck, so that rotation of the chuck thru a small anglewill always be sufficient for the final adjustment of the bottle. Thisshortening of the adjustment time at the decorating station permits acorresponding reduction in the time interval required for a completecycle of operations, and a consequent increase in the output of theapparatus.

The stop finger 6| at station B is pivotally mounted on a carrier 15which is mounted as presently described to swing about the axis of thechuck shaft. Said carrier comprises an inclined section recessed toreceive a rectangular slideblock 16 mounted for sliding movement towardand from the chuck shaft. Attached to or formed integral with saidinclined section is a horizontally disposed section 11 or arm whichextends beneath the chuck shaft. A bearing sleeve 18 surrounding theshaft 2 I, is formed with an arm 19 extending parallel with the arm 11and formed with guideways in which the arm 1'! is slidably mounted foradjustment in the direction of its length. The end portions of the arm19 may be split to receive clamping bolts by which the arm is clamped inadjusted position. The carrier 15 may be adjusted lengthwise by means ofa screw threaded rod 8| (Fig. 5) with a knob 82. Said rod is swiveled inthe arm H and threaded thrualug 83 formed on the arm 19. Carrier 15 maybe rotatably adjusted about the axis of the chuck shaft thru a limiteddistance determined by a stop pin 84 (Figs. 1 and 5) which is mounted inthe arm 19 and works in a slot 85 in the arm 11. Such adjustment may beeffected manually as by means of a hand wheel connected to a shaft 86(Fig. 1) operating thru bevel gears to rotate a screw shaft 88 threadedthru a connector 88 connected thru a link 89 to the arm 19.

The contact finger 6| at station B is mounted between a pair of wings 90(Figs. 1 and 5) formed on a plate Hi and swings about a pivot pin 9|.The plate 16 is formed with a hub 92 journalled for oscillating movementin the slide block '16. The contact finger is yieldingly held inengagement with the work-piece by means of a coil spring 98 (Figs. 6 and7) mounted in a bore in the slide block and applying a downward pressureon a pin 99 attached to the plate l6 and extending beneath the spring.The slide block 16 is moved forward in the carrier 15 to operativeposition by an air motor I00 mounted on the carrier, and is returned bycoil springs I00 (Fig. 6). The air supply to the motor m0 is controlledby the cam 45 which operates one of the valves 44 in a pipe line ||l|extending to the motor. When the slide block 16 is withdrawn a cam rollI02 on the contact finger engages an inclined cam surface I03 and swingsthe finger about its pivot 9| to the dotted line position, Fig. 5, outof the path of the work-piece as the latter advances beyond the stationB.

Operation rotating thru an arc defined in Fig. 13 by the radial linesI05, I06. The valve for the air motor II is now opened by its cam 41 andthe motor operates to move the chuck shaft outwardly and causes theclutch disk 28 to bear against the friction ring 29 so .that the clutchdisk 28 is rotated by the chain driven gear 24. This rotation iscontinued while the cam shaft rotates thru an arc I01 defined by theradial lines I and I08. The air is then out off from the motor II andthe friction clutch released. The work-piece is also disengaged from thechuck. During the rotation of the chuck the work-piece or bottle Irotates therewith until the stop lug I3 thereon engages the stop finger0| at station A and stops the rotation of the bottle. The distance thruwhich the bottle is rotated depends upon the position of the stop lug I3when the bottle is placed on the cradle so that the angle of rotationmay be anywhere from zero to a complete rotation, as the clutch isengaged a suflicient length of time to complete such rotation. After thebottle is released from the chuck the carrier I8 is indexed while thecam shaft is completing it rotation thru the arc I09 defined by theradial lines H0 and I05, thus completin the cycle.

The operations which take place at the station B during this cycle andconcurrently with the operations at station A are as follows: The bottleat station B is connected with its chuck at the same time as the bottleat station A. The motor 4| then operates under the control of its cam 40to move the chuck shaft outwardly and effect a driving engagement of theclutch members 20 and 29. The chuck is thereby rotated and eiiects thefinal rotative movement of the bottle to accurately position or registerit relative to the decorating screen. This rotation of the bottle willordinarily be thru only a very short distance and takes place while thecam is rotatin thru an arc III (Fig. 13) extending between radial linesI06 and H2. Thruout this final registration period the air-motor I00 issubjected to air pressure under the control of its cam and holds thecontact finger Si in operative position. The air supply is then cut offfrom motor I00 and the slide block 16 retracted by the springs I00 toswing the stop finger out of the path of the stop lug I3, therebypermitting the bottle to be rotated during the decorating operation.During such operation the decorating screen is held in contact with thebottle and rolled therealong as set forth in the above mentioned patent.The-chuck s also rotated by the rack bar 30 (Fig. 8) in engagement withthe gear 33, said gear operating thru the friction clutch to drive thechuck shaft 2|. This decoration takes place while the chuck rotates thruan arc II3 (Fig. 13) The chuck is then disengaged, permittin theconveyor I8 to be indexed and bring the next bottle to the station B.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of ourinvention.

We claim: v

1. Decorating apparatus comprising a workholder for an article to bedecorated, means for rotating the work-holder about an axis, an armmounted to rock about said axis, a block slidably mounted on said armfor adjustment in a direction toward and from the work-holder and saidarticle, means for adjusting said block, a finger pivotally mounted onsaid block, and extending into position to engage a round surface ofthesaid article, a spring for holding the finger in contact with thesaid article, and a stop for'limiting the movement of the finger by saidspring.

2. Apparatus for decorating articles comprising a chuck for holding anarticle, a shaft carrying said chuck, means for rotating the shaft, acontact finger for engaging a round surface of the article, a carrierfor said finger, a slide block mounted for movement on the carrier,means providing a pivotal connection between the slide block and saidfinger, means for moving the slide block relative to the carrier, meansfor holding the finger in operative relation to the said article whilethe slide block is in one position, and means for swinging the fingerabout its pivot to a position out of the path of the article when theslide block is moved to a different position.

3. Decorating apparatus comprising a chuck for holding a work-piece,means for rotating the chuck, a contact finger for engaging theworkpiece While the latter is being rotated, a carrier for said finger,a slide block mounted in said carrier, a plate rotatably mounted on theslide block. said finger being pivotally connected with said plate,spring means for rocking said plate in a direction to move the fingerinto engagement with the work-piece and hold it with a yielding pressurethereon, means for shifting said slide block. and cam means for swingingthe finger about its pivot into a position out of the path of theworkpiece.

, 4. Decorating apparatus comprising a chuck for holding a work-piece,means for rotating the chuck, a contact finger for engaging theworkpiece while the latter is being rotated, a carrier for said finger.a slide block mounted in said carrier, and a plate having a swivelconnection with the slide block, said finger being pivotally connectedto said plate to swing about an axis perpendicular to the axis of theswivel.

5. Decorating apparatus comprising a chuck for holding a work-piece,means for rotating the chuck, a contact finger for engaging theworkpiece while the latter is being rotated, a carrier for said finger,a slide block mounted in said car- Tier, 2. plate having a swivelconnection with the slide block. said finger being pivotally connectedto said plate, a piston motor mounted on said carrier, and operable tomove the slide block in one direction, and means for moving the slideblock in the opposite direction.

6. Decorating apparatus comprising a chuck for holding a work-piece,means for rotating the chuck, a contact finger for engaging thework-piece while the latter is being rotated, a

carrier for said finger, said carrier being mounted for rocking movementabout an axis parallel with the axis of the chuck shaft, a slide blockmounted in said carrier, and a plate having a swivel connection with theslide block, said finger being pivotally connected to said plate toswing about an axis of the swivel.

7. Apparatus for decorating the surfaces of round articles, saidapparatus comprising chucks for holding the articles and positionedrespectively at first and second stations, a chain carrier forsupporting the articles and advancing them to said stationsin's'uccession, stop fingers, means for mounting said fingers at saidstations and holding them in contact with round surfaces of the articlesto be decorated, friction driving means for rotating the chucksand-causing the articles carried thereby, each to be rotated to a stopposition and to be arrested at such stop position by a stop on thearticle engaging the stop finger, and means operable independently ofthe stop fingers to break the driving connections between the clutchesand their said driving means after the articles have been arrested atsaid stop positions, said stop finger at the first station beingpositioned rotatively a short distance in advance of the finger at thesecond station, so that a short rotative movement of the article at thesecond station in a direction opposite to that in which it is rotated atthe first station is required to bring it to the stop position at saidsecond station.

8. Decorating apparatus comprising article holding chucks positioned atstations one in advance of the other, a conveyor extending between saidstations by which articles to be decorated are advanced in succession tothe chucks, chuck shafts connected to the chucks, sprocket gears mountedfor rotation about the axes of said shafts, an endless sprocket chaintrained over said sprocket gears, a driving gear for driving said chain,friction clutches individual to said sprocket gears and operative toeffect driving connections between said shafts and sprocket gears andthereby causing the gears to rotate said shafts, stop fingers arrangedto contact round surfaces of the articles while the latter are beingrotated with the chucks, said stop fingers being positioned in the pathof stop surfaces on the articles and operable by contacting said stopsurfaces and obstructing their movement to arrest the articles atpredetermined rotative positions while the chucks continue to rotate,and means operable independently of said stop fingers and said arrestingof the articles to actuate the clutches and thereby break the drivingconnections between the chuck shafts and sprocket gears after thearticles have been arrested by the stop fingers.

9. Decorating apparatus comprising article holding chucks positioned atstations one in.

advance of the other, a conveyor extending between said stations bywhich articles to be decorated are advanced in successton to the chucks,chuck shafts connected to the chucks, sprocket gears mounted forrotation about the axes of said shafts, an endless sprocket chaintrained over said sprocket gears, a driving gear for. driving saidchain, friction clutches individual to said sprocket gears and operativeto effect driving connections between said shafts and sprocket gearsthereby causing the gears to rotate said shafts, stop fingers arrangedto contact round surfaces of the articles while the latter are beingrotated with the chucks, and operable to engage stop surfaces on thearticles and arrest them at predetermined rotative positions while thechucks continue to rotate, and means operable after the articles havebeen arrested by the stop fingers to actuate the clutches and break thedriving connections between the said sprocket gears and chuck shafts,said sprocket chain being arranged to drive the sprocket gears inopposite directions, the stop finger at the second station being at arotative position a short distance in advance of that of the finger atthe first station as measured in the direction of rotation of the chuckat the first station.

10. Decorating apparatus comprising in combination, chucks for holdinground articles, chuck shafts, a conveyor by which the articles areadvanced to the chucks, the latter being positioned at stations one inadvance of the other along said conveyor, gears individual to the chucksandmounted respectively for rotation about the axes of said chucks, 'anendless chain trained over said gears, means for driving said chain,friction clutches individual to said chuck shafts, air motors individualto said clutches, and each positioned and arranged to operate its clutchand thereby establish a friction driving connection between the chuckand its said gear and thereby causing the chuck and the article heldthereby to be rotated, stop devices cooperating with the said articlesfor arresting each article in predetermined rotative position andholding the article stationary while the said friction drivingconnections are maintained, a cam shaft, cams thereon, valves actuatedby said cams and controlling the operation of the air motors, and meansfor driving the cam shaft in synchronism with the rotation of saidgears.

11. Apparatus for decorating round articles, comprising a support forthe articles, a driving element, means for operating said elementcontinuously, a chuck positioned and arranged to engage an article onsaid support, automatic means operable periodically to effect a frictiondriving connection between said driving element and chuck for rotatingthe chuck, and for breaking said driving connection after the chuck hasbeen rotated a predetermined length of time, and means for obstructingand thereby stopping the rotation of said article, said obstructingmeans comprising a stop device positioned and arranged to project intothe path of a stop surface on said article and engage said stop surfacewhen the article has been rotated to a predetermined position andthereby stop the rotation of the chuck and said article while the saidfriction driving connection is retained.

12. Apparatus for decorating round articles comprising a chuck forholding the articles, a continuously rotating driving element, afriction clutch interposed between said element and chuck, automaticmeans for periodically actuating the clutch at predetermined timeintervals and thereby connecting the driving element to the chuck anddisconnecting it from the chuck, a stationary stop device positionedadjacent the chuck and the article held thereby and projecting into thepath of a stop surface on the article with the stop device in a stopposition in which it forms a positive stop for the article and therebystops the rotation of the article when the latter is at a predeterminedrotative position, and means for holding the stop device in said stopposition while the friction driving connection between the drivingelement and chuck is retained.

ALBERT S. JACKSON. CLARENCE A. HEYNE.

